OPTIMISE RUMEN TO REALISE FULL POTENTIAL OF THIS YEAR’S SILAGES

15 October 2015This year’s higher quality first cut silages might be worth another 2 litres/cow/day compared to 2014 according to Trouw Nutrition data, but that potential will only be realised by avoiding acidosis and optimising breakdown of forage fibre in the rumen. That’s the message from Dr Nicola Walker, AB Vista’s Ruminant Product Development Manager, who’s advising milk producers to push fibre digestion in the rumen to its absolute limit this winter to maximise forage feed value, milk-from-forage and margin over feed costs. “Aim for a consistent supply of nutrients to the rumen